Method and device for disposing of flexible material

ABSTRACT

For the disposal of material webs, such as spent support films ( 13 ) of embossing objects ( 19 ) obtained from an embossing device ( 11 ), the material web (film) is introduced via a slip drive into a storage chamber, where it forms freely hanging or spontaneously deposited loops. The latter form a reservoir for a discontinuous or alternating operation of the embossing device. The loops ( 43 ) or packages can be individually cut off in the disposal device or at the storage chamber outlet can be rolled up so as to form rolls. The fill level in the storage device is at least sufficiently large that a retraction of the webs from the storage device is possible without influencing the web tension in the utilization area.

The following disclosure is based on German Patent Application No. 102005003787.9 filed on Jan. 19, 2005, which is herewith incorporated into this application by explicit reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and a device for disposing of flexible material in the form of at least one moving material web supplied in a supply direction with a supply web speed from a utilization area of a disposal device. Such material webs to be disposed of arise more particularly behind the embossing gap of embossing devices to which an embossing foil or film web is supplied and which serves as a support for objects such as holograms, metal coatings, etc. In said embossing gap the objects are applied to a product, i.e. a paper web, a sheet or a cardboard packaging, usually by heat sealing. The support material web is left in the form of a film strip from which the objects are removed and which is now to be supplied for recycling or disposal. The standard method of winding or rolling up is subject to the problem that the film which has possibly been deformed by the heat sealing-embossing process may not be easily windable or rollable and also the roll has to be changed, which does not always coincide with a change to the unconsumed embossing film web, because frequently several embossing film webs with different consumption are passed in parallel through the embossing gap.

As the objects are applied to the end product, e.g. the paper web, usually at considerable intervals, it would be uneconomic to arrange them with equal spacings on the embossing film web. The applicant has developed a method (DE 37 13 666 C and EP 718 099 B, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,821), through which said film economizing effect can be controlled despite the requirement of absolute synchronism between the embossing film web and the web to be printed in the embossing gap. This takes place through successive accelerating, synchronizing, decelerating and retracting phases for the embossing film web.

To permit such discontinuous material web movements, in DE 198 42 585 A and the corresponding EP 987 205 B and U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,616 A, the embossing gap is followed by a slip drive which is in turn followed by a film storage device equipped with suction belts. The material web is then rolled up in the conventional manner.

It is also known from EP 989 086 B to dispose of material web portions and a separating device cooperating with a conveying roller is provided. Upstream of the separating device can be provided a not described film storage device.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a method and a device for the disposal of flexible material, which does not impair a discontinuous conveying of material web and the uniformity of its tension and has no significant effects on the entering material web. A further object is to makes it possible to dispose of the material web in the size reduced state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a feature of the invention storage takes place in individual material web portions, preferably in the form of loops, which enter a storage device in a substantially freely hanging form and follow a separating cut where the material web is separated from the preceding material web portion. In place of a loop formation, it is also possible to form a package deposited freely in concertina-like form. By lateral movements either of the entering film or a holding device for the film end, the invention makes it possible to form a new loop or package during the separation of the preceding item. The material web portions can be stored in hanging loops, in each case formed solely by an outwardly travelling strand and a return travelling strand, or and which permits a greater storage capacity, can be stored in automatically, concertina-like packages, between which there is in each case a separation or which are as such directly or indirectly supplied for disposal.

According to another feature of the invention the thus formed packages are e.g. formed on an enveloping medium, e.g. a packaging film or net, which is passed under the package and is conveyed away with the latter, so that there is a formation of continuous packages of concertina-like, ragged material web portions. It is possible to roll up the same, e.g. together with the enveloping medium. In order to permit a “continuous” disposal, said rolling up can take place under an angle to the conveying in direction of the packages, so that a sloping or helical roll is formed, which “grows out” on one side of the roll and can be cut to length there as individual pieces.

It is also possible to operate without an enveloping material placed under the package, if the storage chambers in which the packages are formed are constructed in such a way, e.g. bevelled with respect to the horizontal, that the packages of their own accord slide or are drawn towards the storage chamber outlet. At this point, e.g. by a packing or stuffing winder and by a corresponding inclined positioning, a roll (“sausage”) could be formed which passes out of the optionally conical stuffing winder and can be enclosed there by an enveloping band before a cutting to length takes place.

It is clear that this leads to a minimization of the problem arising when the spent material web is merely rolled up and which results from the fact that in an embossing machine frequently numerous different and also differently wide material webs run in parallel and also arrive at different supply web speeds.

In the case of the invention it is merely necessary to ensure that storage is dimensioned in such a way that at the slowest supply web speed adequate material web is stored in order to ensure a troublefree retraction and that the storage capacity is adequate at the highest web speed. As a result it is also possible when there are numerous closely juxtaposed, incoming material webs to be disposed of, the disposal device can run at the same speed or with the same separating frequency. Therefore disposal is largely independent of the quantity flow of the entering material web, so that it is possible to process jointly in a single device material webs having different average web speeds and alternating frequencies.

The above and further features can be gathered from the claims, description and drawings and the individual features, both singly or in the form of subcombinations, can be implemented in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields and can represent advantageous, independently protectable constructions for which protection is claimed here. The subdivision of the application into individual sections and the subheadings in no way restrict the general validity of the statements made thereunder.

In advantageous embodiments of the invention for the disposal of material webs, such as spent support films or foils for embossing objects supplied by an embossing means, the film is introduced via a slip drive into a storage chamber, where it forms freely hanging or spontaneously deposited loops. They form a reservoir for a discontinuous or alternating operation of the embossing device. The loops or packages can be individually cut in the disposal device or at the outlet from the storage chamber can be rolled up so as to from rolls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter relative to the attached drawings, wherein show:

FIG. 1 A diagrammatic representation of an embossing device and the associated disposal device.

FIG. 1 a to d Individual stages in the operating sequence of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 A diagrammatic representation of a further embodiment of an embossing device and disposal device.

FIGS. 2 a to d Representations to illustrate the operating sequence of the device according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 Another embodiment of an embossing device with a disposal device.

FIGS. 3 a to d Further stages in the operating sequence of the device according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 A diagrammatic representation of the embossing device and disposal device.

FIG. 5 Another embodiment in a diagrammatic, perspective partial view.

FIGS. 6/7 Two further embodiments illustrating a variant of the device similar to FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an embossing device 11 with a following disposal device 12 for a material web 13. The embossing and disposal of a single material web 13 is shown, but it is intimated that in many embossing processes numerous parallel material webs 13, 13 a are used, which run through the embossing device and are disposed of in parallel.

The material web 13 comprises a support foil or film, to whose active material web plane 29 are applied objects 19, e.g. holograms or other flat portions to be transferred, which have a very limited mutual spacing. The objects are covered with a heat-sealing coating.

Between two rollers 14, 15 of an embossing mechanism 16 is formed an embossing gap 17 in which an embossing tool 18 projecting somewhat over the surface of the embossing roller 14 transfers the object 19 to a product web 20 and firmly seals it there. To this end the tool 18 is heated to a heat sealing temperature and in certain circumstances the product web 20 is preheated. The product web can be in the form of paper or plastic webs, cardboard packagings, etc. to which are applied for decorative or security purposes objects 19 which are not to be moved merely by pressure. These can be finished prepared and defined objects such as holograms, pictorial representations, etc., or a specific form of an object can be transferred to the product web 20 by the embossing tool 18 from a material web uniformly coated e.g. with a metal coating.

In order to transfer the objects 19 to the product web 20 with a greater mutual spacing than would be appropriate for economizing support film on the material web 13, the latter is moved discontinuously, whilst the embossing rollers 14, 15 and product web 20 move at a continuous speed. The prerequisite is in most cases absolute synchronism in the speed of product web and material web in embossing gap 17. Following the application of an object, the material web 13 is decelerated and this must not take place suddenly so as not to impair the sensitive film from which the material web 13 is formed. The material web is then retracted by the “deceleration path” and a following acceleration path counter to the supply direction 21. This takes place during a time when the product web 20 and material web 13 run in uninfluenced manner between rollers 14 and 15. Before the next point of product web 20 to be embossed reaches the embossing gap 17, which is formed between the then once again incoming embossing tool 18 and the opposite roller 15, the material web 13 is once again accelerated to the synchronous speed, i.e. the product web speed, so that embossing takes place in synchronism between them.

This is implemented in that the material web 13 supplied from a not shown supply reel is metered in controlled manner by a control drive 22, which e.g. operates with a suction roller 23, which acts on the inactive material web side and, because it is positioned on the inflow side, i.e. upstream of the embossing gap, either releases or decelerates the material web.

The actual conveying and uniform tension of the material web in the embossing gap 17 is implemented by a slip drive 24, which is here shown as a suction roller 26, which on its suction-active sensor 25 draws the material web with a force adjustable through the suction action onto the suction roller surface and then releases it again at the end of this sector. The suction roller 26 of the slip drive 24 runs at a speed producing a circumferential speed which is at least equal, but usually is somewhat higher than the synchronous speed in the embossing gap 17, so that together with the sliding or rubbing characteristics on the surface of the suction roller 26, a substantially constant tensile stress is exerted on the material web 13. This also applies in the phases of retraction or stoppage between the deceleration, retraction and acceleration phase.

It must be borne in mind that apart from the limited mass or weight of the material web, for the discontinuous movement of the latter no inertia force has to be overcome, because between the suction roller 23 of the control drive 22 and the slip drive 24 no mechanical parts have to be moved, apart from deflections, e.g. blow pipe deflection rods, but which can be designed in a low-mass or mass-free manner. It must also be taken into account that the long path between the embossing gap and the slip drive, which would appear to exist in the diagrammatic drawings, is only shown in this form to make understanding easier and in reality is much shorter with smaller deflections. The area of the material web 13 beginning with the control drive 22 and ending with the slip drive 24 is referred to hereinafter as the material web utilization area 27 and is followed by a disposal area 28 for the material web 13.

The above description of the embossing method and device applies to all the embodiments described hereinafter and is not to be repeated for them. These functions, as well as the disposal device functions described hereinafter, are driven and controlled by drives or electric motors by means of electrical or mechanical controls and transmissions. The drives are symbolized (M). In place of the suction rollers shown, it is also possible to use suction belt drives, particularly for the slip drive. In this connection particular reference is made to DE 198 42 585 A and its parallel applications.

The disposal device 12 according to FIG. 1 contains a storage device 57 with a storage chamber 30, which is common to several parallel, incoming material webs 13 or can be subdivided between the same, particularly in the case of FIGS. 5 to 7. It has an upper intake port 31 into which the flexible material web 13 runs from the slip drive 24 in a substantially vertical manner under gravity. In the storage chamber is provided a loop forming and separating member referred to hereinafter as support 32. It contains suction and blow air ducts 33 a, b and forms part of a holding device 34. To this end it has on its top surface two holding surfaces 36 on both sides of a separating slot 35. The holding surfaces 36 on either side of the separating slot 35 are in each case connected by suction ports to one of the two ducts 33 a, b switchable between suction and blow air. The support is horizontally movable backwards and forwards between two positions located on either side of the incoming material web portion. In the drawing the left-hand position is shown in continuous line form and the right-hand position assumed to follow on to the same is shown in broken line form.

The separating slot 35 belongs to a separating device 37, which has cutting knives located on both sides of the intake port. On both sides of the cutting knives are provided spring-mounted holding posts 39, which can cooperate with the holding surfaces 36. To this end and for separation or cutting purposes, the cutting knife facing the support 32 is vertically movable through the separating or cutting drive 40 together with the holding post 39. Although the suction ports provided in the holding surfaces 36 and which are linked with the suction air duct 33 the holding devices are able to hold the material web there, the holding posts 39 in conjunction with the holding surfaces 36 ensure a fixing of the material web whilst the cutting knife cuts the film. This is appropriate in the case of most support films due to their great elasticity and tensile strength.

The support, including its suction air ducts and the holding devices, as well as the cutting knives with holding posts, can run through over the entire width (perpendicular to the drawing plane), i.e. can simultaneously dispose of several, juxtaposed entering material webs (cf. material web 13, 13 a). The storage chamber 30 has a lateral discharge port 41, which is connected to a suction air duct and is sucked off by means of the material web portions to be disposed of. Said portions can then be collected in a container, e.g. compacted by a press and supplied in type-pure manner for material recycling.

The operation of the disposal device 12 will be described hereinafter relative to FIGS. 1 a to 1 e, the representations being reduced to what is absolutely necessary for describing operation.

FIG. 1 a shows that the material web 13 to be disposed of enters in free falling, vertical manner the storage chamber 30 through intake port 31 (cf. FIG. 1) from slip drive 24. As the leading or front, free end 42 of the material web 13 is secured by holding device 34 by suction air via suction air duct 33 a and additionally the holding post 39 on holding surface 36, at the left-hand side of the support located in its right-hand position a loop 43 is formed and is lengthened downwards by the supply of further material web. FIG. 1 a also shows that the right-hand bedplate 44 is moved downwards by its drive 40, so that the leading end 42 of the material web is separated by knife 38 engaging in the separating slot 35. The right-hand loop 43′ shown in broken line form was previously secured by suction air via suction air duct 33 b and holding post 39. Then and as shown in continuous line form, it is jettisoned as a separated loop 43 a, which now drops freely into the storage device and via discharge port 41 is sucked under suction action from the storage chamber. Thus, individual material web portions 45 are formed and are in loop form prior to separation and subsequently are disposed of as separated, double-deposited portions. For the jettisoning of the loop portion 43′, 43 a switching from suction to blow air takes place in suction air duct 33 b, so that the up to then secured ends 36 of the separated material web portion are released from the holding surfaces 36. They are then taken up by suction air connected to the discharge port 41 and are in the described manner supplied for disposal purposes.

As the storage chamber 30 is closed, other than for the discharge port and intake port (FIG. 1), also in the duct forming the intake port 31 and in the remaining storage chamber there is a downwardly directed air flow assisting material web guidance and loop formation.

FIG. 1 b shows the disposal device in the following operating position. The right-hand bedplate 44 of the separating or cutting device 37 has again been retracted into its upper, inactive starting position and the support 32 has been moved by its drive 47 into a position to the left of film entry. The loop 43 previously formed on the left-hand side is still secured with its leading end 42 by the holding surface 36 supplied with suction air via duct 33 a and the material web is then placed over and beyond the holding surfaces 36 on the now right-hand side of the support and forms a new loop 43 there.

FIG. 1 c shows that the loop 43 hanging in FIG. 1 d on the left-hand side of the support is now separated from the continuous material web by the left-hand knife. After switching from suction to blow air in suction air duct 33 a, said loop 43 a is also jettisoned and disposed of.

Once again following retraction of the left-hand bedplate 44 and the change of support 32 to the right-hand side of the entering material web, FIG. 1 d shows the start of loop formation on the left-hand side of support 32, which would then lead back to FIG. 1 a so as to conclude the operating circuit.

It is more particularly apparent that in the entire operating sequence the storage device 57 through loop 43 there is always an adequate storage length in order not to impede discontinuous material web conveying through the embossing device. In spite of this and once again completely uninfluenced by these movements, there is a periodic separation of the complete material web into material web portions 45, which can be disposed of much more easily than a continuous web.

Apart from the differences stressed hereinafter, both the embossing device 11 and the disposal device 12 of FIG. 2 correspond to those of FIG. 1. In this embodiment the support 32 is not movable horizontally between two positions and is instead positioned centrally roughly in the extension of the material web intake plane 48 in storage chamber 30. Instead of a vertical movement of the bedplates 44, the support 32 is movable vertically towards and away from the knife 38 through the action of the support drive 47 a.

The material web 13 enters the intake plane 48, but is then laterally diverted by a pivotable diverting duct 49. The diverting duct 49 is formed between two jointly laterally pivotable components 50 actuated by a pivot drive 51 and carrying at their ends facing the support in each case one bedplate 44.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 d show the method steps corresponding to FIGS. 1 a to 1 e for the embodiment according to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 a a loop has formed on the left-hand side of the support 32 and at its front end 42 is secured by the left-hand holding surface 36 a. The opposite loop end is placed over and beyond both holding surfaces 36 a, 36 b. Both ducts 33 a, 33 b are switched to suction air and on the right-hand side of support 32 is formed a new loop 43, because the pivotable distributor 52 is pivoted to the right and the diverting duct 49 contained therein diverts the material web to the right.

FIG. 2 b shows that through the relative movement, here by raising the support 32 via drive 47 a (FIG. 2) and following engagement of the holding post not shown for reasons of clarity in FIG. 2 b, the left-hand cutting knife 38 cuts through the material web at the point where it passes beyond the separating or cutting slot 35. The suction air in duct 33 b acts on the holding surface 36 b, so that the now front end of the loop 43 is secured. The suction air duct 33 a is now switched to blow air, so that the material web portion 45 in the form of loop 43′ and then 43 a comes free and can be sucked off on the left-hand side after once again lowering the support 32 and the holding posts of the left-hand bedplate have released the cut off material web portion.

FIG. 2 c shows that the distributor 52 has now been pivoted to the left, so that the material web, over and beyond support 32, has been diverted onto the left-hand support side and forms a new loop 43 there, whilst that on the right-hand side is still connected thereto. Both holding surfaces 36 a, b are subject to suction air action and secure the ends of the loop.

FIG. 2 d shows the cutting off of the right-hand loop 43 by raising support 32 and knife engagement, the jettisoned loop 43 a only becoming free when the support 32 has been lowered again and the duct 33 b has been switched to blow air. The same applies to FIG. 4 b. The operating circuit is closed by the position according to FIG. 2 a again.

In FIG. 3 the modification compared with FIG. 1 is that the support 32 has a linear/pivot drive 47 d, which pivots the support about its own longitudinal axis and can bring about displacement in two steps at right angles to the material web plane and intake plane 48. The bedplates 44 with holding posts 39 are mounted, with the knives directed inwards, on the sides of the storage chamber, i.e. their knives are directed towards one another in a horizontal plane.

FIG. 3 a shows the situation where the support 32 is in its outermost, right-hand position, i.e. it is pressed against the right-hand bedplate 44 and cuts through the material web, which following horizontal moving out of the cutting engagement of knife 38 and optionally the switching off of the blow air on the side of the holding surface 36 a jettisons the previously formed loop 43′. This takes place in the position of support 32 shown in broken line form in FIG. 1.

Then and as shown in FIG. 3 b the support is moved to the left and pivoted counterclockwise by 180ø. The material web 13, following onto loop 43 which has formed in FIG. 3 a, runs over the support surface, which is rounded downwards, and now hangs downwards as a loop 43 a to be separated and held at its free end 43 by the holding surface 36 b, whilst its other end extends beyond the support. A new loop 43 is now formed in a central position, but to the right of the support.

FIG. 3 c shows in mirror image to FIG. 3 a the situation where the previously formed loop 43′ has been cut off, in that the support is moved from the position assumed in FIG. 3 b into its extreme right-hand position, i.e. into cutting engagement. The loop 43′ is cut off and following retraction of the support 32 from bedplate 44 from the cutting position is ejected in the half-right position shown in continuous line form in FIG. 1. From said position there is then a movement to the right and the support 32 is pivoted clockwise by 180ø into the half-right position, in which the right-hand loop 43 is in the separating position and the new loop 43 has formed in the centre of the storage chamber (FIG. 3 d). From there the operating cycle continues with the position according to FIG. 3 a.

The supply of the holding surfaces 36 a, b via ducts 33 a, b with suction or blow air is illustrated in the drawings by s for “suck” and b for “blow”, express reference being made thereto. This applies to the complete application, also for the arrow representations illustrating movement directions and types. It is pointed out that more particularly in FIG. 3 due to the normally vertical positioning of the holding surfaces 36 and the pivoting movement, in certain circumstances there may be no need to use blow air, because the suction action need not be too strong or can be entirely omitted. The loops 43 which are hanging completely vertically are in certain circumstances automatically jettisoned.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which the storage chamber wall, following onto a shaft-like intake port 31, is adapted to a rotatable star or wheel. Here a four-arm star or a type of bucket wheel 32 a is shown, whose arms 53 form between them storage cells or compartments 54, which are clad with an ejector 55, which is pivotably mounted about a bearing 56 close to the outer end of the arm and which is otherwise adapted to the storage compartment shape. At the end of each arm there is a separating slot 35 for cooperating with a cutting knife 38 and which at a bedplate 44 and together with the already described holding posts 39 is inserted in the storage chamber wall and is actuatable in the knife direction by the cutting drive 40 thereof.

The method to be performed is as follows. The material web 13 drops under gravity from the slip drive 24 through the intake port into a storage compartment 54 located beneath the same of the support wheel 32 a which is stationary in this position. The material web is then deposited in disordered or at least not completely ordered, loose loops in each case in superimposed, concertina-like form. A considerable length of material web 13 can be received in a compartment as a material web portion 45 in the form of a package 60. On indexing the support wheel 32 a, the material web is placed over the outer end of an arm 53 and therefore over the separating slot. This takes place in FIG. 4 by 90ø clockwise indexing of the support wheel 32 a. A package 60 is now formed in the next storage compartment 54. In the meantime through the operation of the cutting drive 40 the bedplate 44 is moved into the storage chamber and therefore the cutting knife 36 is moved into the cutting slot 35 after the holding posts 39 on both sides of said slot have clamped the material web, which is then cut through.

During the next indexing cycle the package 60, which is cut free on both sides, is ejected from the storage compartment which is largely directed downwards in FIG. 4. The ejector 55 also flaps out and ensures a problemfree ejection, which is appropriate for many plastic films, because they could tend to adhere to the storage compartment walls due to electrostatic charging.

Suction via discharge port 41 is as described hereinbefore.

FIG. 5 shows a disposal device 12 starting shortly before the end of the utilization area 27, which ends at the slip drive 24. The disposal device 17 contains as a storage device 57 a plurality of juxtaposed storage chambers 30 for numerous parallel material webs 13, which arrive with different average and effective supply web speeds and whose web, forward and reverse conveying conditions can differ considerably. From the slip drive 24 the material webs 13 pass in each case into a storage chamber 30 having a width which is somewhat greater than that of the material web, but in such a way that the storage chamber side walls 61 can guide the material web and the material web portions 45 formed for storage purposes in the form of packages 60. The entire top side of the storage chamber can serve as the intake port. The storage chamber side walls 61 terminate in spaced manner from the chamber bottom 62. An enveloping medium web 63 is led into the intermediately formed gap after having been unwound from a supply reel 64 and behind the storage chamber discharge port 41 is rolled up together with the material web packages 60 to form a roll 65 to be disposed of, winding taking place about a core optionally using a motor. As shown in FIG. 5, the side walls 61 are cut out corresponding to the shape of roll 65.

This leads to the formation of a package of disordered, largely superimposed, loose, concertina-like loops, i.e. with in each case successive bends or folds in opposing directions. It is clear that said package 60 stores a very considerable material web length, which even in the case of longer retraction movements enables the retraction of the material web from the disposal area 28 in stress-free, deformation-free manner into the utilization area 27. A very compact disposal device 12 is created, with which a very compact roll 65 is produced, without the problems of conventional rolls arising and which are caused by the virtually impossible to control differing web lengths and conveying frequencies in the case of several parallel-running webs.

FIG. 6 shows a device which, apart from the construction and function of the rolls 65, coincides with that of FIG. 5. Here again all the packages 60 of parallel-running material webs 13 to be disposed of are formed on a packaging web 63, which is drawn from a supply reel 64, drawn along below the individual storage chambers 30 and finally rolled up again together with the packages 60. However, this takes place on a sloping or tapered roll 66 which forms in that the axis 68 driven by a drive 67 in rotary manner has an angle differing from 90ø by several degrees with respect to the supply direction of web 63. Thus, corresponding to the inclination angle the roll 66 runs in the direction of arrow 69 out of the disposal device and the packaging web 63 helically, but in overlapping manner envelops the roll filled with the material to be disposed of. Thus, in operation the roll 66 would permanently grow in the direction of arrow 69. However, it is more appropriate to provide a cutting to length device 70 symbolized by a pivotable knife 61 and which cuts the roll into individual pieces 62. The latter can be easily transported and supplied to recycling.

The mutual matching between the disposal device drive and the operating speed of the embossing device is largely uncritical. The only requirement is that the disposal, i.e. the roll drive, is such that for the “slowest” material web 13 a package forms in order to ensure the requisite storage capacity, the other limit being the roll thickness. Between these the speed can be set such that there is an optimum disposal, even when taking account of the consumption of enveloping film 63.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment which with respect to the storage chambers 30 and their function, particularly when forming packages, operates in much the same way as in FIGS. 5 and 6. However, here enveloping film is supplied in the vicinity of the chambers and instead the chamber bottom 62 is inclined to such an extent that the package 60, on being drawn out of the storage chamber 30 at discharge port 41 automatically slides in the correct direction. To the bottom 62 is connected the upwardly bent jacket 73 of a stuffing winder 74. The jacket 73 forms a conical sleeve widening in the direction of the roll outlet, i.e. in the direction of arrow 69, in order to take account of the roll volume increase in this direction through the reception of further packages 60. Here again the axis 68, inter alia also due to the conicity of jacket 73, is set at an angle to the perpendicular with respect to the orientation of the compartment walls 61. The drive 67 acts on a stuffer or packer 75, which is rotated for rolling up purposes, clockwise in FIG. 7, and simultaneously is moved backwards and forwards in the direction of axis 68 in accordance with double arrow 76. The stuffer has vanes 77 tapering towards its free end and which consequently gives said stuffer 65 a conicity opposing the jacket conicity.

At the outlet of the stuffing winder 74 is provided a storage reel 78 for the enveloping band 79, which once again through inclined positioning surrounds in helical overlapping manner the roll. There is also a cutting to length device 70, as in FIG. 6.

Operation is as follows. The packages 60 forming in the storage chambers 30 slide as a result of the inclination of the storage chamber bottom 62 in the direction of the discharge port 41 and in this way enter the interior 80 of the stuffing winder. They are taken up by the vanes 77 of stuffer 75 and are wound up onto the same. The stuffer is then retracted, i.e. to the right and forwards in FIG. 7. The relatively elastic material will then immediately take up the space which has become free around the stuffer, so that on forcing the stuffer in again the complete roll 66 formed is advanced in direction 69. The speed and oscillating frequency of the stuffer are adapted to the proportion of the material web to be disposed of and in this way a roll 66 with the desired density is formed and which is enveloped by the helically wound enveloping band. The cutting to length device 70 with its knife 71 cuts off the individual portions or pieces 72 and through a corresponding drive slides them in the direction of arrow 81 away from the roll axially for conveying away purposes.

It is clear that this provides a particularly simple and effective disposal device, which is able to make available large quantities of material web to be disposed of in type-pure, easily handlable pieces, so that easy recycling is possible. 

1. Method for disposing of flexible material in the form of a pluality of moving material webs, being adjacent to each other and moving with different feed rates and being supplied by a slip drive in a supply direction from a utilization area to a disposal device, storage of the material webs taking place allowing discontinuous advancing and partly retracting movement of the material webs, the material webs being stored in loose, but ordered and orderly retractable material web portions, followed by a combined disposal of the portions of all adjacent material webs.
 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the portions are material web loops.
 3. Method according to claim 1, wherein each material web portion is severed from the material web after the storage.
 4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the material web is secured at a material web end formed following the separation of a preceding one of the material web portions, a material web loop or a package of several largely superimposed, loose loops is formed and is then separated.
 5. Method according to claim 2, wherein separation of one of the loops takes place during the formation of a succeeding one of said loops.
 6. Method according to claim 2, wherein the loops of one of the material webs are formed successively, the material web forming the loops being moved backwards and forwards at right angles to a plane parallel to a surface of the material web between the formation of two of the successive loops.
 7. Method according to claim 1, wherein during storage, the material web is deposited in a package of several superimposed loose loops and said packages are provided for said combined disposal purposes.
 8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the material web for the formation of the package is supplied in free falling manner.
 9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the material web is supplied from a slip drive.
 10. Method according to claim 7, wherein the package is formed on a movable packaging web, which can be rolled up together with the package.
 11. Method according to claim 10, wherein a roll formed from the package and the packaging web is a sloping or helical roll and is laterally conveyed and cut to length portionwise.
 12. Method according to claim 10, wherein the roll is formed in a jacket in the manner of a sloping stuffing winder.
 13. Method according to claim 1, wherein the material web is an embossing film web consumed by transferring embossing objects from the embossing film web to a product web during the operation of an embossing device.
 14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the material web leaves the utilization area at a slip drive, which gives the material web tensile stress in the supply direction, but allows a backward movement in the opposite direction.
 15. Device for carrying out the method of claim 1 comprising a material web storage device being provided in supply direction between the utilization area and the disposal device, the storage device being connected to a separating device for material web portions formed in the storage device.
 16. Device according to claim 15, wherein the storage device has at least one holding device for a material web point.
 17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the holding device is provided for holding a material web end formed following the separation of a preceding material web portion.
 18. Device according to claims 16, wherein the holding device is bilaterally adjacent to the separating device.
 19. Device according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the devices including the holding device and separating device is movable laterally relative to the material web.
 20. Device according to claim 15, wherein the separating device has at least one cutting knive per material web.
 21. Device according to claim 20, wherein the separating device has one knife for all of the adjacent material webs.
 22. Device according to claim 16, wherein the separating device has at least one knife cooperating with a separating slot between two holding surfaces of the holding device.
 23. Device according to claim 16, wherein the holding device is provided on a support provided in each case on two sides for loop formation purposes.
 24. Device according claim 15, wherein the storage device has a storage chamber in which are provided the holding device and separating device and which has a discharge port with suction air connection for conveying away the material web portions for disposal purposes.
 25. Device according to claim 15, wherein with the separating device are associated lateral, spring-mounted holding posts, which keep the material web taut during separation.
 26. Device according to claims 15, wherein the storage device contains a rotary star with several storage chambers formed between arms constituting partitions, in which are formed material web portions as packages of several largely superimposed, loose loops and whose partition-forming arms extended beyond the free ends of the material web cooperate with the separating device.
 27. Device according to claim 26, wherein the storage chambers are provided with a fold-out ejector for the packages.
 28. Device according to claim 15, wherein the storage device has a storage chamber matched to the material web width and having an upper intake port for the substantially vertically supplied material web and a discharge port for a package formed by the automatic depositing of largely superimposed, loose loops.
 29. Device according to claim 28, wherein the storage chamber has a bottom, being formed as a guide for a packaging web supplied from a reel on which the package is formed and which can be rolled up accompanied by the formation of a roll formed by the package and the packaging web.
 30. Device according to claim 28, wherein between on one hand a supply direction, in which the packaging web and the package formed thereon is moved, and on the other hand the axis of the roll, there is an angle diverging from 90°, so that a sloping or helical roll is formed.
 31. Device according to claim 29, further including a cutting-to-length device for forming portions of roll.
 32. Device according to claim 29, wherein the storage chamber bottom is inclined towards the discharge port from the storage chamber.
 33. Device according to one of the claims 29, wherein the rolling up of the package takes place through a stuffing winderwith a conical jacket and an inner rotary and stuffing drive.
 34. Device according to claim 15, wherein at the utilization area is terminated by a slip drive comprising at least one slip drive element of a group including a band drive equipped with suction air ports and a suction roller, the at least one slip drive element having a surface which is movable in the supply direction, but allowing slip and a backward movement in the opposite direction for material web. 